Improvement in harness-buckles



W. P. VAN REUBEN. Harness Buckle.

No. 197,186. Patented Nov. 13, I877.

MPETERS. FKOTO UTHOGRAPNEL WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. VAN KEUREN, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR or ONE- FOURTH HIs RIGHT TO PRATT & LETGHWORTH.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARNESS-BUCKLES.

Specification-forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,186, dated November 13, 1877; application filed March 17, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. VAN. KEU- REN, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Harness-Buckles, which improvements are fullyset forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a buckle or metallic connection for permanently securingthe ends of ,the holdback-straps and martingale to the belly-band.

In a team-harness the forward ends of the holdback-straps, passing along the flanks of the horse, are cogiected under the belly of the horse, by a meta ic ring 'or otherwise, with the rear end of tli'martingale or neck-yoke strap. The latter and the holdback-straps are generally disconnected from the belly-band, so

.that in unhitching the horse theholdbackstraps and martingale frequently become separated from the main portion of the harness.

- The object of my invention is to obviate thisdifliculty by providing a metallic connection which permanently unites the ends of the holdback-strap and martingale with the bellyband. 1

The nature of my invention will be fully understood from the following description.

In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view' of my improved buckle. Figs. 2 and 3 are sections, respectively, in I lines '00 w andyy, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan View of my improved buckle in a slightly-modified form.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in each of the figures.

' A represents the frame of the buckle, provided with a longitudinal bar orplate, B, arranged centrally within the frame A, and'provided with a downwardly-proj ecting stud or pin, 11. is a loop arranged at the front side of the frame A, for connecting the neck-yoke band or martingale thereto. D D represent two smaller loops arranged at the rear side of the frame A, for securing the ends of the holdback-straps to the same. The two loops D D are preferably arranged at an angle with reference to the frame A, or about at right angles to the direction of the holdback-straps, as clearly shown in the drawing. E represents the neck-yoke strap or martingale, secured to the loop 0; and F F, the holdback-straps, connected with the rear loops D D. G is thebellyband, passed through the frame A, above the side bars a thereof, and underneath the central bar B, the stud b entering one of the holes with which the belly -band is provided, as

- clearly represented in Fig. 3.

By this means the buckle is firmly secured to the belly band, and the ends of the neckyoke strap and holdback-straps permanently connected therewith, and the respective straps kept in their proper places when the harness is in use, as well as in unhitching the horse.

If desired, the frame A may be provided at its front end with a buckle, H, as shown in Fig. 4, instead of the loop 0, for connecting the neck-yoke strap to the frame A; but Iprefer the simpler form shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

My improved buckle is readily cast,.of suitable metal, at comparatively small expense, and is of great convenience in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is x A harness-buckle composed of the frame A', provided with central bar B, having a stud, b, and a front loop, 0, andtwo angular rear loops, D D, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

W. F. VAN KEUBEN.

Witnesses: EDWARD WILHELM, Gnonen H. SYKEs. 

